diff --git a/src/pulse/util.c b/src/pulse/util.c
index 54a188d52..6f1e40a93 100644
--- a/src/pulse/util.c
+++ b/src/pulse/util.c
@@ -219,7 +219,8 @@ char *pa_get_binary_name(char *s, size_t l) {
 char *pa_path_get_filename(const char *p) {
     char *fn;
 
-    pa_assert(p);
+    if (!p)
+        return NULL;
 
     if ((fn = strrchr(p, PA_PATH_SEP_CHAR)))
         return fn+1;
diff --git a/src/pulse/util.h b/src/pulse/util.h
index f6dd40cb6..ad85653db 100644
--- a/src/pulse/util.h
+++ b/src/pulse/util.h
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ char *pa_get_home_dir(char *s, size_t l);
 char *pa_get_binary_name(char *s, size_t l);
 
 /** Return a pointer to the filename inside a path (which is the last
- * component). */
+ * component). If passed NULL will return NULL. */
 char *pa_path_get_filename(const char *p);
 
 /** Wait t milliseconds */